The Real World: San Diego is the twenty-sixth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. It is the sixth season of The Real World to be filmed in the West Coast region of the United States, specifically in California after The Real World: Hollywood.

The season featured a cast of seven people who lived in a house located in the La Jolla community of San Diego. It is the sixth season to take place in a city that had hosted a previous season, as the show's fourteenth season was set in San Diego in 2004. It is also the fifth season to be located in California. San Diego was first reported as the location for the 26th season when a moving company posted pictures of the house on their blog in May 2011, and said it would be used for the series. Production began from June to September 9, 2011 and the season premiered on September 28 of that year, consisting of 12 episodes.

Assignment Most seasons of The Real World, beginning with its fifth season, have included the assignment of a season-long group job or task to the housemates, continued participation in which has been mandatory to remain part of the cast since the Back to New York season. This season, the cast works at the House of Blues.

Residence

The cast resided in a beach house at 5212 Chelsea Street in La Jolla, California, a neighborhood of San Diego, which belongs to an unnamed celebrity who vacated it for the production's use, and removed his belongings from the residence because he "didn't want any of his valuables destroyed by the Real Worlds notoriously wreckless [sic] cast members." The two story, eight-bedroom house features a large set living room, small pool, a patio overlooking the ocean, and a tennis court on the top deck.La Jolla Beach House at Real World Houses; December 5, 2014"MTV’s 'REAL WORLD' will screen from La Jolla, California according to San Diego Movers" , Titan Movers, May 27, 2011

Cast Cast member Age Hometown 21 Los Angeles, California Alexandra, who goes by "Alex," was raised in Zimbabwe, in a village with no electricity or running water.Goldner, Brandon. "Sing. Dance. Write. Andra Govere: The most amazing 20-something you haven't heard of. Yet…" . Brass magazine. May 2, 2011Real World: San Diego: Cast: Alexandra. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011. She relocated with her family to California. She is of Zimbabwean, French, and American Indian descent. Described by MTV as the most accomplished person to ever appear on the series, She studied calculus at age 10, graduated from high school at 14 and attended Stanford University at 15, studying civil engineering.Note: Sources conflict on whether she graduated. The Brass article indicates she graduated with a civil engineering degree, though her MTV.com bio indicates she dropped out eight weeks prior to graduation. She is an accomplished ballerina, competition gymnast,"Zim songstress causes a stir" . The Zimbabwean. 30 July 2010. retrieved September 27, 2011.Johnson, Steve. "Zimbabwean Gymnast Makes History". AllAfrica.com. October 25, 1999 singer-songwriter"Album: "Love is 4 Suckaz / I'm A Sucka 4 Love" by Andra". August 14, 2010"Andra ft. Lupe Fiasco – White Swans" . Dubstep Source. July 6, 2010 and activist whose co-founding, with her younger sister, of the Kijana Project to support AIDS orphans resulted in a featured appearance in Elle magazine.Phillips, Madeline. "Govere's worldwide program continues to assist AIDS orphans" . The Paly Voice. November 12, 2002Olson, Linnea. "The Kids Are Alright". Elle Girl Sep-Oct 2003. page 141. Google Books. accessed August 4, 2011. She lives in Los Angeles with her musician boyfriend of eight months, Byron. "Real World: San Diego: La Jolla (2011) - Ashley Kelsey . Vevmo. July 17, 2011 24Real World: San Diego: Cast: Ashley. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011. Winsted, Connecticut Ashley, the oldest cast member, attended the University of Connecticut, where she majored in business. Ashley is also a model, with a profile on a website called Model Mayhem. She is extremely close to her mother, who is the only person she has ever lived with, underlining the new experience of living with six strangers. She hopes to do sideline reporting for the NFL. She prefers tall, athletic men, though she does not date often. She develops a romantic relationship with Zach, in part because, as she explains, they were both raised in a conservative environment, though Priscilla and Nate question the degree to which she grows dependent on Zach, to the exclusion of getting to know the rest of the cast. "Real World: San Diego: La Jolla (2011) - Frank Sweeney . Vevmo. June 27, 2011 22 Canastota, New York Described by MTV as a "whirlwind of emotions" and a "master of manipulation", Frank, who is nicknamed "Hurricane Frank", grew up in Upstate New York, and graduated from Middlebury College,. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011. where he majored in Spanish and molecular biology, and participated in track and hammer throwing. Frank is bisexual and on his 21st birthday, he began a gay relationship for the first time. He also enjoys partying to point of blacking out. A failed past relationship that left him vulnerable is recalled through his unrequited attraction to Alexandra. His conflict with his parents over his sexuality lead him to act belligerent and confrontational when drunk. He bonds with Sam in Episode 5, explaining that he never went to gay bars or wore gay pride paraphernalia before meeting her. His sexual identity brings him into conflict with Zach in Episode 5, though Frank grows closer to Zach and Ashley beginning in Episode 6, due to Frank's relationship with a man named Mike, whom Zach and Ashley believe brings out the best in Frank. Frank and Mike break up in Episode 9, however, due to Frank's infidelity, after which his rift with Ashley and Zach resumes. "Real World: San Diego: La Jolla (2011) - Nate Stodghill . Vevmo. June 25, 2011 22 Grain Valley, Missouri According to MTV, Nate appears to be a typical fratboy, was a class clown growing up, and was captain of the high school football and baseball teams and senior class president. He was spurred to become an advocate for suicide prevention after one of his friends committed suicide,Real World: San Diego: Cast: Nate. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011. an experience that he recalls painfully in Episode 4. Nate is a recent graduate of the Missouri University of Science and Technology, where he played football and earned a degree in nuclear engineering. According to MTV, he drinks heavily and engages in promiscuous sex, but considers his promiscuity and his inability to be faithful to any girlfriend he has ever had to be his best and worst trait. He intends to become CEO of a global energy conglomerate. "Real World: San Diego: La Jolla (2011) - Priscilla Mendez . Vevmo. August 4, 2011 19Real World: San Diego: Cast: Priscilla. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011. San Diego, California Priscilla, who is of Mexican descent and the youngest cast member, graduated from West Hills High School a year early. Currently she is a student at the University of California, Davis, where she graduated with a degree in Psychology. She is currently pursuing a masters degree. She is best friends with her mother, who had her when she was 17, and with whom she discusses extremely intimate subjects. Her large family also includes a younger brother named Jordan a sister, and her grandparents. Mendez is very close with her family. Though described by MTV as "flirtatious", she has only been in one serious relationship, which ended badly and with unresolved issues that may be resolved during the season. In Episodes 7 and 8, Dylan, the boyfriend she broke up with a year ago, comes to visit, during which they try to define their relationship. "Real World: San Diego: La Jolla (2011) - Sam McGinn Vevmo. June 30, 2011 21 Chesapeake, VirginiaReal World: San Diego: Cast: Sam. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011. Samantha, who goes by "Sam", is a daughter of military parents and self-described "stud lesbian" whose sexuality initially strained her relationship with her mother, though this eventually improved. Characterized by MTV as a "girlfriend stealer", she was involved in a dramatic love triangle in high school that resulted in two girls being outed. She is passionate about gay rights, and performs as a drag king alter ego named Shawn Jade. She is in college studying to become a parole officer. Sam grows close to Nate, whom Frank describes as Sam's "big brother". Her father's 25-year career in the U.S. Navy provides an important context for her pride in Episode 6 when she sees military servicemen marching in San Diego's Gay Pride event for the first time following the abolition of Don't ask, don't tell. She has been hunting since she was nine years old. "Real World: San Diego: La Jolla (2011) - Zach Nichols . Vevmo. June 30, 2011 23Real World: San Diego: Cast: Zach. MTV. accessed September 30, 2011.Zach's 24th birthday occurs in Episode 7. Brighton, Michigan Standing at 6'3, Zach Nichols, DS #210 WR, Northern Michigan. NFL Draft Scout. accessed September 30, 2011. Zach played wide receiver at Northern Michigan University, where he graduated with a degree in sports science and exercise physiology. He formerly harbored dreams of playing for the NFL, but today supplements his semi-professional football career by working at a physical therapy clinic. He competes to get women, including older women, with his two best friends, who collectively call themselves "The Goon Squad". His pastimes include going to church and firing guns at shooting ranges, the latter of which he shares with Ashley, as they spend time together during the season. He is a self-described conservative who is taken aback at meeting Sam in the premiere, whose lifestyle choices are the "opposite" of his, though he develops a romantic relationship with Ashley, who was also raised in a conservative environment. He is against the inclusion of homosexuals in the military, and in Episode 5, refuses to participate in charity work during a gay pride parade in which gay service members march. Zach calls a family member who currently serves in the military and gets his advice on this issue. The family member tells Zach not to support gay service in the military. So Zach follows the advice of his family member. In that same episode, a rift forms between him and Sam and Frank after Zach makes a joke alluding to gay bashing to which the latter two take offense. He grows closer to Frank through Frank's relationship with a man named Mike, but when that relationship ends, the rift between the two housemates resumes. He nonetheless remains close with Sam through the remainder of their stay in the house.

Age at time of filming

Episodes

After filming The Real World: San Diego Reunion aired on December 21, 2011. Maria Menounos hosted, and featured the entire cast, as they discussed their time during filming and their lives since the show ended.Real World: San Diego Reunion. MTV.com. accessed December 22, 2011.